According to Osho, only your innermost essence is predestined; the outer personality, roles, and circumstances are accidental and fluid. Life outside is a field of changing opportunities, not fixed outcomes. Root yourself in the destined core, and play creatively with whatever comes—rich or poor, success or failure—using things without being used by them, and turning from the nonessential to the essential.
The real you is fixed, but everything around you changes, so stay centered inside and play with whatever happens.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Is everything in one's life, particularly the degree of spiritual progress, predestined? Or is one's life a series of challenges and possibilities without anything being known about the outcome?
The essence is predestined, the personality is just an accident. That which you are is predestined, that which you appear to be is just an accident. Your being a Hindu, your being a Christian, is an accident. Your being a man, your being a woman, is an accident. Your being a German or an Indian is an accident. Your being black or white is an accident. But your BEING, simply your being, is destined. Try to find that which is destined, and don't be too concerned with that which is irrelevant, accidental. Your nose is a little long or a little short. Don't be bothered much about it; it is just accidental. Or your skin has a pigment and you are black. Or your skin doesn't have that pigment -- not worth more than four annas. Don't be too worried about it. It is just irrelevant. Try to find that…
Are our lives predestined or not?
Skinner says that we can determine what you will do if your past acts are known. He says that the old proverb, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink," is wrong. You can force him to. You can create an atmosphere so that the horse will have to drink. The horse can be forced, and you also can be forced, because your actions are created by situations, by circumstances. But even though you can bring a buddha to the river, you cannot force him to drink. The more you force him, the more impossible it will be. No heat will make him do it. Even if a thousand suns shine on him it will not help. A Buddha has a different origin of action. It is not concerned with other acts; it is connected with consciousness. That is why I emphasize that you act…
Osho, is sannyas a human possibility or an ultimate destiny? Please tell us.
Those great knowers said “it will happen, it is going to happen” and emphasized it strongly to wake you from sleep: if it is going to happen anyway, then let it happen now. Why delay? Why postpone it till tomorrow? If it is going to happen tomorrow, let it happen today. Why suffer till tomorrow? Why endure anguish till tomorrow? Let it be today. Accept it today. If it is going to be anyway, why erect obstacles? All your obstacles will break and the event will occur. The wise said: do not create obstacles—that was their purpose when they said sannyas is destiny. And they also said it so that, if you understand destiny, you will be freed from the past. The moment you see that someone abused you yesterday and that it was bound to happen, then the abuser bears no responsibility. It had to be. That abuse was…
Osho, who am I, where have I come from, and what is my destiny?
He went with Farid. They undressed and entered the river. As soon as the man ducked under, Farid climbed atop him and held him down, pressing his neck so he couldn’t come up. The man began to thrash, like a fish flung onto burning sand—hands and feet flailing. But Farid was strong; still, when it’s life and death, hidden strength surges. The man, though thin and scholarly as inquirers often are, gathered all his might and with one wrench threw Farid aside and burst to the surface. Farid asked, “Did you understand something?” The man said, “Understand? You were about to kill me! Is this how one realizes God? Are you a man or a murderer? I had heard you were an accomplished fakir—but you seem mad. You were choking me!” Farid said, “We’ll talk about that later. First, before you forget—human memory is very weak—tell me: while I held…
Osho, if life is a storyline in which each person’s role is fixed and one only has to enact it as ordained, isn’t that fatalism?
The word has been spoiled; with too much use it’s become debased. Otherwise “destiny” is a very lovely word. Destiny means things happen; they are not “done.” Destiny means the plot is decided—don’t worry needlessly. Destiny means what has to happen will happen; what had to happen has happened; what has to be will go on happening. Don’t carry the burden on your head. You are not responsible. Think of it like this: a Ramleela is being performed; the leela, the play, is on. Rama knows perfectly well that Sita will be abducted. There’s no need to stay awake nights, worrying. It’s all fixed. It’s a script. Sita will be abducted, Rama will wander from forest to forest, asking every tree, “Where is my Sita?” And he will ask with great feeling. Then the curtain will fall, and backstage they’ll laugh and chat. Ravana will be sitting there too. They’ll…